Follow the Leader
"Follow the Leader" is the 12th episode in Season 1 of Make It or Break It, airing January 11, 2010 - and the 12th episode overall. Overview The girls are displeased to have Marty back as their coach, so they try to get him ousted. Emily continues to struggle with her mother feeling that when Chloe interferes with her gymnastics she ends up making things more difficult for her. Meanwhile, Sasha attempts to find a new way for Payson to fit in at the gym; Kaylie confronts Carter about his betrayal; and Razor tutors Emily in math. Summer shows Emily that perhaps her mother's desire to be involved and see her daughter succeed in gymnastics has helped Emily more than she realizes. Synopsis National Team practice begins with a move no one expects: Marty is made head coach! Kaylie, Lauren, and Emily are floored. They thought Sasha would be National coach, giving them a clear advantage over the other gymnasts on the team -- including their nemesis, Kelly Parker. Plus, they all hold a serious grudge against Marty for leaving The Rock and going to Denver Elite. Not to mention, Kaylie can't forgive him for having an affair with her mom, and she wonders if history's doomed to repeat itself. The Rock is going through other changes too. Carter's back. Summer's the new manager. And Sasha tries to recruit Payson as assistant coach, to which she answers a resounding "No!" The Rock girls decide to sabotage Marty so Sasha can take his place. But their plan backfires. Big time. Marty passes over Lauren and Kaylie for a chance to compete in London at the National Team's first international meet. The good news is that the National Team only practices together once a month, so Sasha is still the girls' main coach. Still, it's puzzling why Sasha was overlooked for the job when three of his gymnasts are on the team. When the reason is revealed, it's heartbreaking. The National Committee blames Sasha for what happened to Payson. She's not the first of his gymnasts to suffer a tragic accident on his watch: While Sasha was coaching in Romania, one of his charges died after a terrible fall. On a lighter note, Emily has a new math tutor: Razor. He agrees to tutor her for free -- but at what price? Will working closely with Razor be too much temptation -- and distraction -- for her? Speaking of distractions, Kaylie's having a hard time focusing on gymnastics with both Carter and Marty back at The Rock. After Sasha admonishes her for not acting like a leader, Kaylie runs into Carter's arms. But she doesn't get the welcome she expects. She throws herself at him, but Carter knows she's just acting out of anger -- just like he was when he slept with Lauren. He pushes her away gently, saying he wants to get back together with her -- but in the right way, for the right reason. Kaylie doesn't take the rejection well and storms off. Kaylie's next plan doesn't go so well, either. After being passed over for the trip to London, she decides to tell her dad about Marty and her mom. But when she finds him looking through old family photo albums, her heart softens. He apologizes for having acted more like her manager than her father and promises to be a better dad. Kaylie can't bring herself to tell him after all. Later, her parents walk into The Rock hand-in-hand. Maybe they DO have a chance. Meanwhile, Summer's proving to be a very intuitive manager for The Rock. She finds out what Lauren did to bring Carter back and promises to keep an eye on her so she doesn't get hurt. She also sees Chloe for what she really is: a mom who's just as dedicated to her daughter as any of the other Rock moms -- maybe even more so. Summer helps Emily see how much she owes her mom by showing her the letters Chloe wrote to Marty asking him to give Emily a chance. If Kaylie's having trouble being a leader, Payson's having trouble accepting she's a natural-born one. Sasha gives her a book about "comeback kids" who have overcome adversity and asks her to tell the girls to be good to Marty. Payson resists, because she's no longer team captain. But on the day of the team photo, she tells Kaylie, Lauren, and Emily to start acting like a team because that's the only way they'll get to the Olympics. All of them. Together. Payson will be there as their teammate, even if she won't be competing. At least, not yet. Payson has a new dream: to be next year's National Champion. Knowing her iron will and fierce talent, anything is possible. But is she just setting herself up for disappointment? Cast *Zachary Burr Abel as Carter Anderson *Chelsea Hobbs as Emily Kmetko *Ayla Kell as Payson Keeler *Josie Loren as Kaylie Cruz *Cassie Scerbo as Lauren Tanner *Susan Ward as Chloe Kmetko *Candace Cameron Bure as Summer Van Horne *Peri Gilpin as Kim Keeler *Erik Palladino as Marty Walsh *Neil Jackson as Sasha Belov *Nicole Gale Anderson as Kelly Parker *Rosa Blasi as Ronnie Cruz *Mia Rose Frampton as Becca Keeler *Jason Manuel Olazabal as Alex Cruz *Nico Tortorella as Razor *Allison Caetano as Courtney *Matt Kaminsky as N.C. Spokesperson *Tarah Paige as Team Member #1 *Tasha Schwikert as Team Member #2 *Lindsay Orton as Team Member #3 *Renae Moneymaker as Team Member #4 *Carin Baer as Photographer Quotes Category:Episodes Category:Season 1